Network-based method and apparatus for initiating and completing a telephone call via the internet

Abstract

A network-based method for initiating and completing a voice telephony call via the Internet comprises the steps of receiving call completion data at a voice/data network gateway of the public switched telephone network from an Internet application web server, which may comprise an Internet service provider or other entity serving Internet users via an Internet application web server, and transmitting call completion data to telecommunications switches for connecting an Internet user to a telephone of an application agent associated with the Internet server. The application agent may be associated with a 1-8YY toll-free number or other national or international telephone number. Call progress data is translated into data communications protocol format to be returned to the Internet server where it may be displayed to the user. Preferably, the link between the Internet application web server and the voice/data network gateway comprises a telecommunications data link, for example, an ISDN data link. Once a voice telephone call is established between a user and an application agent, other parties may be added to the call via a conference bridge. Other services and features that may not be available or implementable in a customer premises based system but are in a network-based solution comprise tone, video, facsimile, video, modem, speech recognition and other features.